CHENNAI: Reading is not a mechanical activity but a formative practice that shapes character, judgement and social responsibility, observed V Irai Anbu, former chief secretary, while addressing students in Chevalier T Thomas Elizabeth College for Women, Perambur, The lecture was part of the Chennai International Book Fair (CIBF) 2026.
Irai Anbu addressed students on the theme, ‘Let us read ourselves’, blending Tamil linguistic philosophy with insights drawn from world literature. He also demonstrated how language itself can become a tool for thought.
He also drew examples from world intellectual history stressing on Karl Marx and Charles Darwin. He contrasted purposeful reading with reading driven by greed with examples, and also showed how literature reflects moral choices and inner conflicts, making characters from classical texts resonate with contemporary concerns.
He also focused on five ‘padi’ (steps) for living well and drawing on the musical possibilities of Tamil in a manner reminiscent of lyricists such as Kannadasan. He outlined principles aimed at helping young people rise in life.
Anbu also spoke about the importance of self-knowledge, which he described as the foundation of leadership. “True reading must therefore include reading oneself,” he argued. “Never allow a day to pass without reading. Learn to live with books rather than approach them merely out of compulsion,” he added.
The lecture, widely seen as particularly relevant for contemporary students, emphasised the need to retain a living relationship with books even in an age of rapid information flow.